Count the Stars
by catastrophic berry
Summary: "Looook!" Galinda squealed suddenly, bouncing to her feet and using the wand to point upwards "it's a shooting star!". post Oz-dust, multi-chapter. All couples
1. Glinda and Fiyero

**note: I'm thinking of turning this multi-chapter, with all the different Wicked couples. what do you think?**

**Elphaba: oh no..**

**Fiyero: "She didn't..."**

**Glinda: "She did..."**

**all: "she wrote a Flinda!"**

**me: HA! well there you go: you steal my sofa, I write fanfiction about you. anyways *coughs* Wicked does not belong to me in any way shape or form (Boq: "thank _god"_) _however, _the wizard of Oz is in the public domain so I do not need to account for any references to it. **

**ps, another late-night write up, please tell me if you notice any spelling or grammer error...I really need to get me a beta reader**

**again, reviews are utter love.**

**...**

It was the evening after the success of the Ozdust ball. The air was calm and the night sky was filled with stars. Many young couples where taking advantage of the unusually warm weather to take a stroll in the grounds of Shiz University.

One such couple were sat together on a grassy bank near Suicide Canal, examining the wand that was clutched tightly in the girl's hands...

"It's so...swishing!" cried Galinda proudly, waving the silvery thingy up and down in front of her dates face.

"It certainly is..." muttered Fiyero, batting it smoothly away with one hand. To be honest, he was fairly disappointed with how this date was going, usually by now things should have gotten slightly more...intimate.

"I wonder when Madame Morrible will start my Sorcery training" pondered Galinda, tapping the wand prettily against her top lip, obviously oblivious to Fiyero's mood "oooh! I hope it's soon! Elphie said-"

"Elphie?" cut in Fiyero

"Oh yes, Elphie!" cried Galinda, spinning round to face him "you remember her don't you? The green one from the party? We're absolutely the best of friends now!". She giggled before going back to waving her wand "I tried to turn that horrifical dress of hers into something much nicer using this...it didn't work though, poor dear, but we did manage to do something pretty to her hair..."

But by this time Fiyero had stopped listening; he was remembering the green girl. That was the one he had almost run over wasn't it? The one with the strange hat...

"Elphaba..." he murmured

"Looook!" Galinda squealed suddenly, bouncing to her feet and using the wand to point upwards "it's a shooting star!" Fiyero shielded his eyes and followed her gaze. However, try as his might; he couldn't spot the illusive star amongst all the others in the sky.

"I don't think-"he began.

"I know!" Galinda flopped down beside Fiyero and turned to him, grinning. "It can be _our _shooting star, wouldn't that just be so romantic?"

"Quick! Let's make a wish!" She closed her eyes, raised her hands above her head and stuck out her tongue in utter concentration.

Fiyero smiled and shook his head; sometimes his date could be so childish.

He lay back on the grass and tried to summon up a picture of the green girl; Elphaba. So she and Miss Galinda were friends now? How delightfully strange.

Next to him, Galinda's Eyes popped open.

"Done!" she squealed.

"What did you wish for?" Fiyero asked softly, not taking his eyes off of the night sky.

"You're not supposed to tell, silly!" Galinda explained, hitting him lightly on the shoulder "otherwise the wish won't come true, _everyone_ knows that!"

Fiyero rubbed his shoulder and grunted.

There was silence for a moment.

"So what did you wish for?" asked Galinda in a conspiratorial whisper.

Fiyero smiled and shut his eyes.

Ah yes, Elphaba.

"Now, Miss Galinda, that would be telling" he whispered back.


	2. Boq and Nessa

**authors note:**

**sweet tippaterious, it's an update! 8D I honestly really didn't know if I wanted to continue with count the stars but ,heh, four people said they quite wanted to see this continued and well, I rather liked the attention this story was getting X3**

**This chapter is focused the Bessa relationship. mostly from Nessa point of view, but with some Boq observations mixed in with italics. It takes please literally 5 seconds after the last chapter.**

** Despite these two being my most favorite characters of all time, I really found them hard to write for, I guess I was just really worried about being fan-biased. Hopefully I did okay and Nessa still sounds like a Niave snob and Boq is still a narrow-minded idiot.**

**again, please tell me of any mistakes that you find, comment on what you like/ think I could improve and enjoy!**

**(and heads up, next chapter I plan to be FiyeroxElphie! if you have any ideas, do tell, I'm really no good at writing for those two) **

**...  
**

A distance away, as rainclouds began to slowly grow over the stars and the warm night breeze began to decrease in temperature, another couple was having a less than stimulating conversation...

It was cute, Nessa Thropp decided, and really rather interesting, to watch the blush slowly creep up Boqs face whenever she spoke to him. At this moment it was halfway up the bridge of his nose and, despite the cold and the beginning patter of rain on the stone steps, burning quite brightly. How sweet.

Nessa had wanted to go for a stroll around the grounds after the Ozdust Ball; it was what all the other young couples seemed to be doing. But Boq had insisted that he take her straight back to her rooms. After all, it was getting dark and it was already quite cold; wouldn't Miss Nessarose prefer to be indoors and warm? Especially after such a wonderful evening...

_Sure, she was nice, but she would never be his Miss Galinda, it would be best just to drop her off and leave as quickly as he could. Best if Miss Nessarose didn't get the wrong ideas about their relationship..._

Boq was so kind-hearted like that, Nessa had never met a man so considerate of her feelings.

They had been waiting outside of the staff building for a little over fifteen minutes now. Despite Madame Morrible promising that her private suite would be unlocked and open for Nessa no matter what time she came back; the doors where tightly sealed and no manner of banging and calling would open them. So Boq had sat down on the steps, and Nessa had wheeled herself to sit beside him and they had waited.

"Boq?" Nessa had asked, after a few minutes of rather awkward silence.

"Yes Miss Nessarose?"

Nessa took a deep breath

"Did you really mean what you said back at the ball? Do you really think I'm..." Nessa paused and looked down at her hands, finishing in a half-whisper "...beautiful?" She glanced up quickly to see how he would reply.

Next to her the blush had begun to grow at the base of the munchkin's neck as sudden Boq seemed more interested in straightening out his suit than looking back at his date.

"wha-why d-do you want t-to know th-that?" he had stammered before coughing and continuing in a slightly more confident voice "I mean, ah, I already told you how I felt"

_He just wished he had had the courage to tell her the rest..._

Nessa nodded unhappily and twisted her hands together "yes but did you... did you really _mean_ it?" Great, even to her own ears that had sounded needy and pathetic; Boq probably thought she was an idiot now.

"Well, er" Boq rubbed the back of his neck (the blush now reaching his cheeks) "of course, Miss Nessarose, of course I meant it" her dropped his hands to his knees and continued in a slightly softer voice "why would I not?"

_True, she was beautiful, but never as beautiful as his Galinda..._

Nessarose beamed, her heart soaring. Right here, alone with only her, Boq had just admitted that he thought she really was beautiful. He had no idea how wonderful that made her feel.

"Thank you, Boq" she murmured.

Boq chose not to reply, instead opting to simply nod before turning away and adjusting his hat.

_Where was that blasted doorman? He really didn't like the way this was going..._

And now, over ten minutes later, here they still were. Nessa was still smiling to herself and the blush had not yet left Boqs face, but they hadn't spoken a word since and both where now getting rather cold.

"er, Boq?"

"Yes Miss Nessarose?"

"Do you...do you think we could go back to your room?"

Boqs face seemed to freeze, the blush quickly drained from his face and slowly, ever so slowly, his right eye began to twitch.

"m-my room?" he finally managed to croak.

"Well, yes" replied Nessarose, shivering and drawing her shawl closer to her body "it seems to be getting colder, and at this rate I really don't think we'll ever get in" she nodded at the doors to the still locked Staff building and as if to prove her point, at that moment, a small raindrop fell from the sky and began to slip down her cheek "I'm sure your roomie won't mind...".

_What would Fiyero think if he saw Boq bring back a Thropp sister to his room? He might think that Boq was out of the competition! And that Galinda was free for the taking!_

"Bu-but it's only been fifteen minutes!" protested Boq, his voice pitch rising with his panic "I'm sure if w-we just wait a little longer..." he glanced up and noticed Nessa's miserable expression before quickly backtracking "what I mean is, you wouldn't like it in the men's building Nessa. It's positively primitive. Not to mention that the man I share a room with is an utterly brainless git"

"Oh"

A few more minutes passed as Nessa continued to shiver and Boq tried to recover his composure.

"Boq?"

"Yes Miss Nessarose?"

"Did you see that?"

"See what Miss Nessarose?"

Nessa pointed a slender hand upwards

"I-I think it was a shooting star"

The rain was falling faster now, not enough to soak but enough to annoy, and almost all of the night sky had been blotted out by clouds. Glad to get the topic away from his dormitory, Boq smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow.

_Well, considering who her sister was; maybe Nessarose could be forgiven for being a little mad._

"Miss Nessarose; you can hardly see the sky, let alone the stars, you must have been imagining things"

"no, no I defiantly saw it...it was beautiful..."

Nessa looked down at her date, her eyes sparkling...

It had been Beautiful, like him...

_Like Miss Galinda..._


	3. Switch

**alright, so I know I said this chapter would be Fiyero/Elphie, but after reviewing the story from an 'omg, it might just need a plot' point of view, I decided this was better suited, since the couples all now need to switch around a little to continue the theme and set up the plot for the next few chapters. **

** there _WILL _be a Fiyero/Elphie Chapter, it'll probably be the next chapter even. Just not this one. I do hope you understand.**

**again (blah-de-blah) comments are loved, and if you see and spelling or grammer errors; TELL MEH!  
**

...

Back on the banks of Suicide Canal the sudden change in weather had not gone unnoticed; within a few minutes it seemed, the temperature had plummeted and the seemingly innocent clouds had turned from simply spitting to suddenly showering, mercilessly.

"Fiii! My hair's getting wet!" Galinda moaned, her voice growring louder and louder, competing with the sound of raindrops. She looked really rather pathetic; lower lip trembling, face already streaked with makeup.

Fiyero sighed, just when the date had seemed to be going somewhere at last. And to be honest, he wasn't too happy about the sudden downpour of rain himself, his jacket was getting soaked! Vinkus silk and water were never considered a good partnership.

Galinda continued to squeal whilst flapping her hands desperately at the sides of her head, as if she could protect herself against the rain by will power alone. She continued doing so until an exasperated Fiyero, very much aware of the state she was getting herself into, grabbed her by the elbow and handed her his ruined jacket (He knew he would regret it later when she would probably refuse to give it back, but his ears could only take so much squealing).

"Put this over your head" he suggested, flashing a smile "the girl's dormitory building isn't too far away, why not go back and get yourself cleaned up?"

Galinda nodded tearfully and accepted the offering before pecking Fiyero on the cheek and running off in the direction of Campus, his jacket flung unceremoniously over her precious golden curls. Fiyero allowed himself a brief moment of irony; Galinda hadn't even bothered to ask how he had known where the Girl's dormitories were in the first place...

Fiyero got up and stretched, noting with some annoyance the grass stains running along the back of his trousers. Oh the sacrifices he made for love. He dusted himself off the best he could and slicked his wet hair back from his eyes before glancing down to examine the state of his shoes.

Ruined. Brilliant.

Just as Fiyero was about to leave however, something caught his eye. On the ground, near to where Galinda had been seated, something glittered. Fiyero sighed and bent down to retrieve it, probably just her makeup compact or something similar, he'd keep it safe until he saw her again.

But it wasn't; when he straightened back up again a few moments later, Fiyero held in his hand Galinda's training wand. It was muddy and soaking wet but still gleamed dully. Fiyero rubbed it absentmindedly with his sleeve while wondering whether or not he should go after Galinda and give it back. In the end he decided not to; it was already late and besides, if anyone saw him standing outside the door of a ladies room but not go inside, well, that would be his reputation in utter tatters.

There was no sense in hurrying now; his clothes were already ruined beyond repair and hopefully, if he got back late enough, he wouldn't have to answer any Galinda related questions shot at him by that annoying Munchkin roomie of his. Fiyero slipped the thing into a pocket before turning round and strolling back in the direction of the Men's Dormitories.

...

Outside the Staff building, Boq was getting increasingly desperate; Nessarose had become depressingly quiet since her sudden outburst about shooting stars, The rain was really starting to soak through his suit and, to be completely honest, he didn't want to spend another moment sitting on the hard stone steps. He gritted his teeth and got up, turning to Nessarose with what he hoped was a suitably sympathetic expression.

"Listen Nessa"

Nessa's head shot up, her eyes glistening with an almost disturbing amount of hope.

"Yes Boq?" she whispered

"Why don't I...er...go see if I can find someone to open that door?" he nodded at the locked Staff building and tried to avoid Nessa's eyes. "There's...er... no point in us staying here and getting soaked all night...is there? There must be someone around here who could get us inside" he tried his best at a winning smile.

Nessa could hardly hide her disappointment. As sweet as the offer was; she had still been hoping for something a little more on the lines of taking-her-back-to-his-dormitory. But, she supposed his idea _was_ in a sense, more practical.

"Alright" she said, nodding and attempting to smile back. What was she complaining about? It _was_ a sweet offer.

Boq barely stayed to hear her reply; he raced off without a backwards glance down the wet pathway that ran between the university buildings. It had been a heartless trick even he had to admit, and he would, of course, direct any wandering teacher he found towards Nessa and the Staff building, if he met one. But he had no intention of going back there; he was headed straight for the Men's Dormitory building. Even thinking about dating a Thropp sister had been a bad idea from the very start.


	4. Fiyero and Nessarose

**Authors Note**s,

**aaahhh! new chapter! And here we address the strangest and rarest of all the Wicked couples; the little known 'Fessa' (or Beyero, whatever takes your fancy)...I personally am now a new convert to this pairing X3 It was the easiest to write for and (in my mind) the most adorable.**

** I really need to fix my Fiyero's gary-stu type personality, but aside from that, I'm rather happy with this chapter! remember, reviews are loved.**

**...  
**

Fiyero paused beneath an overhanging gutter on his way back to the Dormitories to catch his breath and smooth down his hair, hoping as he did so that no-one he knew would be out walking and see him in such an awful state. Not that anyone in their right mind would be out in weather like this anyway.

As he prepared to leave the relative dryness of the overhang and venture back into the rain however, a subtle noise caught his attention. It sounded at first like a low persistent humming, but as Fiyero listened harder he began to hear the beginnings of words, barely recognisable over the sound of wind and rain.

Fiyero turned almost without noticing and began to make his way towards the sound, splashing through puddles and peering through the downpour. Now that he was getting closer he could make out the strains of a song, hesitant and soft, coming from some way ahead. The song was nonsensical and tuneless, obviously made up on the spot and sung in a high quavering voice.

Out of the rain in front of Fiyero emerged the imposing shape of the Staff building, all lights blazing, and the source of the noise; a small figure sat shivering in a wheelchair by the main steps, hands clutching at a soaking wet shawl and head bowed.

It took Fiyero a few moments to recognize the figure; True, he prided himself on making sure to know every girl in every university he joined by at least the first week, but he did not remember seeing this particular one around...Then it clicked; the image of a small, wheelchair bound girl being wheeled away by a freshly rejected Munchkin flashed into his mind.

"Miss Thropp?" he called uncertainly.

The quiet singing stopped abruptly and the girl's head whipped up, her eyes filled with hope.

"Bo- !oh..." upon seeing Fiyero her pretty face creased into a look of utter disappointment "Good...Good evening Mr Tiggular"

Fiyero eyed the younger Thropp sister's soaked pink dress and bedraggled appearance and felt a sudden wave of sympathy for the poor girl.

"Nessarose" he said softly, drawing closer to her chair "what are you doing out here? You looked soaked!"

"Oh!" Nessa let out a high, miserable, laugh "It's nothing, really; Boq and I just couldn't get the door open so...he went to get...help" she faded into silence and looked down at her hands before finishing "...twenty minutes ago..."

Fiyero decided not to consider the whereabouts of his roomie for now, instead addressing the problem at hand, "You can't get it open?"

Nessarose shook her head "we kept pushing and pushing but it wouldn't budge!" she replied miserably.

Fiyero looked up at the large front doors of the Staff building and frowned, Stepping past Nessarose's chair he began to make his way up the porch steps towards them.

Nessarose turned in her chair and called after him through the rain "you don't need to try, Mr Tiggular! Boq and I couldn't even-"

The handle turned smoothly under Fiyero's grip and swung outwards in front of him without a sound.

"-get it open..." she trailed off and looked up at him in astonishment "how...how did you do that!"

Fiyero flashed a sympathetic smile and pushed the door open wider, letting the inviting warm light spill out from within onto the porch steps and over Nessarose's chair "The door, I think it may only open outwards"

"Would you like some help to get inside?" he finished with what he hoped was his most gallant tone.

Nessarose continued to stare for a few more moments before composing herself the best she could and firmly gripping the wheels of her chair. "No, no, It's fine, I can manage" she replied quickly, trying to hide the blush as she wheeled her way up the small slope next to the steps and up to the door. She paused in the doorway and gave Fiyero a small smile "er, thank you...Fiyero, you will tell Boq that I got in alright, won't you?" she murmured softly. Fiyero smiled back "don't worry, he'll be told" _ the Munchkin had better have a good excuse for leaving the poor girl all alone in the rain._

Fiyero waited until Nessarose was safely inside the building before closing the doors and strolling back down the steps to the pavement. He paused for a moment to look back before continuing on his way; something about meeting Nessarose had reminded him of his conversation with Galinda earlier, something about the other sister...


End file.
